FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2025
CONTACT:
Hanna Sumpter, Communications Director, PPGP Votes, media@ppgreatplains.org
Esmie Tseng, Communications Director, ACLU of Kansas, etseng@aclukansas.org
Ashley All, President, Kansas Coalition for Common Sense, ashley@kscommonsense.org
Melissa Stiehler, Director of Advocacy, Loud Light Civic Action, 816.308.2687, melissa@loudlight.org
Laurel Burchfield, Advocacy Director, Mainstream, laurel@mainstream.vote
Mara Favela, Communication Director, URGE, mfavela@urge.org
Statewide Advocacy Coalition Calls for Veto of Bill that Threatens Constitutional Rights, Fails to Support Pregnant Kansans
HB 2062 is part of a far-reaching, long-term strategy to undermine the rights and well-being of pregnant Kansans, and part of a growing trend of state legislation using child support and tax laws to further an anti-abortion agenda.
Topeka – A coalition of Kansas advocacy organizations today issued a joint statement calling for the veto of House Bill 2062, one of the most sweeping anti-abortion bills to have passed out of the Legislature since Kansas’ historic victory defending abortion rights less than three years ago. While this bill purports to address the financial challenges of pregnancy and parenthood, it does little to actually support parents and instead further codifies personhood language into Kansas law to advance an extreme anti-abortion agenda.
Kansas courts are already able to consider pregnancy related expenses during child support hearings. After a review of Department of Revenue information, it is clear the savings for expectant parents resulting from this bill would be minimal. And many of the same politicians voting for this bill and pretending to support pregnant Kansans and parents have repeatedly rejected simpler policies that would accomplish those goals. The real goal of this law is to advance an anti-abortion agenda by laying the groundwork for fetal “personhood” in family and tax law. The passage of this bill is even more troubling when coupled with SCR 1611, which attacks the independence of the Kansas Supreme Court for their 2019 ruling protecting Kansans’ constitutional right to personal autonomy.
Together, we ask the Governor to veto HB 2062, and we again urge the Legislature to respect the will of Kansas voters by sustaining the veto of this harmful bill and rejecting the latest attempt to undermine reproductive freedom in Kansas.
Emily Wales (she/her), President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes
“This is déjà vu. Once again, terrible tax policy is masquerading as support Kansans will never see. Much like Brownback-era tax cuts, HB 2062 won’t result in benefits to Kansans struggling to make ends meet. If it becomes law, this bill will violate a fundamental right recognized by the state’s Supreme Court and supported by an overwhelming majority of voters. The legislature could help Kansas families in ways that are practical and legal. They chose neither.“
Rashane Hamby (she/her), Policy Director, ACLU of Kansas
”Kansans have communicated clearly our boundary that reproductive healthcare matters should be respected. This bill is yet another poorly masked effort by politicians to violate that boundary and to refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Ashley All (she/her), President, Kansas Coalition for Common Sense
”Legislators have had numerous opportunities this year to reduce costs for expectant parents and make life more affordable for families. They have refused to do so at every turn. Instead, they push their extreme anti-abortion agenda hidden within a child support bill in order to further interfere in the personal decisions of Kansas women.”
Melissa Stiehler (she/her), Director of Advocacy for Loud Light Civic Action
”This bill has nothing to do with helping mothers and everything to do with taking away our freedoms. This bill requires the Department of Revenue to make a registry for fetuses, track our abortions, investigate if they think our miscarriages are fraudulent, and demand medical documentation that many low income Kansans can’t afford or simply don’t have access to.”
Laurel Burchfield (she/her), Advocacy Director, Mainstream Coalition
”The Kansas Legislature continues to impose their extremist and intolerant religious beliefs onto all Kansans, despite our overwhelming vote to keep the government out of our reproductive health care. Furthering fetal personhood under the pretense of protecting vulnerable mothers is a disgraceful way to advance an anti-abortion agenda that harms women and gives legislators’ personal religious doctrine the force of law.”
Haley Miller (she/her), Midwestern States Field Director, URGE
“HB2062 is anti-abortion legislation disguised as parental support. The real intent of this bill is to codify fetal personhood despite the fact that Kansas voters already voted on this in 2022 and resoundingly supported abortion. This bill, and others like it, are using tax codes and child support laws as part of a long-term strategy to undermine and chip away at abortion rights. They aren’t fooling anyone in their blatant attempt to defy the will of Kansas voters.”
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The ACLU of Kansas is the statewide affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU of Kansas is dedicated to preserving and advancing the civil rights and legal freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For more information, visit our website at www.aclukansas.org.
The Kansas Coalition for Common Sense is an advocacy organization and communication hub. Our team helps empower Kansas voters, advocates, organizations, and leaders in their fight to advance commonsense Kansas values. Learn more at www.kscommonsense.org.
Loud Light Civic Action is a nonpartisan, nonprofit with the goal of protecting and advancing voting and civil rights in Kansas. Learn more at loudlightaction.org
Mainstream Coalition is dedicated to creating a more representative and responsive government by empowering informed participation and meaningful action in the political process. We envision a Kansas political system that represents all of its constituents. Learn more at: mainstreamcoalition.org
Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)4 nonprofit organization that advocates for sexual and reproductive health and rights in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. We lobby state lawmakers, mobilize more than 120,000 grassroots supporters, and engage in issue education in order to protect and expand access to health care and comprehensive sex education in the communities we serve, and to promote Planned Parenthood’s mission. Learn more at PPGPvotes.org
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity is a state-driven national organization building a young people’s movement for Reproductive Justice by providing infrastructure to young advocates across the South, Midwest, and California. In Kansas, URGE organizes our communities, provides a political home for young people, advocates for meaningful policy change, and shifts culture. To learn more, please visit urge.org
